Bottle-packaging machine

ABSTRACT

A bottle-packaging machine for assembling a charge of bottles having an equal number of bottles in each of a given number of rows on a supporting grid structure and for shifting the charge sideways to allow the bottles to drop between the empty spaces in the grid into an empty case. The cases are conveyed into position below the bottle assembly station and are in turn elevated to fit snugly over the grid for receiving the bottles when they are dropped. The operation of the machine is entirely automatic through certain electrically controlled, air-actuated piston moving elements and motor-driven conveyors for both the bottles and cases.

llite ttes eichert et al. [451 Jan. 18, E972 [54] BOTTLEPACKAGHNG MACHINE 3,165,871 1/1965 Roth 6! al. ..53 247 [72] Inventors: Donald G. Reichert, Tarpon Springs; John a??? clearwate bmh 3,060,659 10/1962 Blais et 61.... ....53/l64 x [73] Assignee: ABC Packaging Machine Corporation, 2,353,447 1944 Creamer" ----53/l66 X L Fl 3,107,466 10/1963 McElvy ..53/6l [22] Filed: 1969 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill 21 79 1 3 Attorney-Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl ..53/61,53/l59,53/166,

53/248, 53/249, 198/3] AB A bottle-packaging machine for assembling a charge of bottles 51 161.0. ..B65b 57/10, B65b 21/16, B65b 35/30 having an equal number in each a given number [58] Field of Search ..53/61, 62, 166, 247, 248, 249, of a Ppming grid structure and shifting the 53/159. 198/31 214/6 BA charge sideways to allow the bottles to drop between the empty spaces in the grid into an empty case. The cases are [56] References Cited conveyed into position below the bottle assembly station and are in turn elevated to fit snugly over the grid for receiving the UNITED STATES PATENTS bottles when they are dropped. The operation of the machine is entirely automatic through certain electrically controlled, 2,219,827 10/1940 K mball et al 53/248 X aipactuated piston moving elements and motel-driven com 2,252,127 8/1941 Klmball 53/166 veyors for both the bottles and cases 2,713,448 7/1955 Wimmer et al. ..53/247 3,092,266 6/1963 De Koning ..214/6 BA 5 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures l n r I 1,

1 1 I. 35 M00 diiliif" /2 n n mg I T MENTEUMMTW 3,634,996 SHEET OEOF 13 PATENTEB JAM a 2912 3 6 34 996 sum w or $3 PATENIEU 18m SHEET OSUF I3 PATENTEDJmam 4 3,834,996 SHEET [16 HF 13 PATENTEDJAMBIBIZ 3,634,996

SHEET UHF 13 l l I l l PATENTED JAN 1 8 E72 SHEET 08 0F 13 PATENTEU JAN 1 8 I972 SHEET OSUF 13 PATENTED JAN I 8 i872 w w !!-J N BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to machines for packing articles in cases for shipment or storage and more particularly to a packing machine for automatically advancing bottles or other cylindrical containers in an upright position, dividing the same into successive charges formed of a given plurality of rows each having therein a predetermined number of such bottles or containers, and transferring the successive charges to shipping cases made of corrugated board, fiberboard, wood or other suitable material.

In packing machines of the type described, the bottles or other containers in each assembled charge are arranged in one or more parallel rows, usually four rows of six bottles or containers each, the bottles or containers of each row being in contact with one another. A charge-directing mechanism is provided for simultaneously transferring all of the bottles or other containers composing the charge to an appropriate packing mechanism disposed above and in direct alignment with the case or carton to be filled therewith, as by dropping the bottles or other containers through chutes or other guides and into the open-topped case.

The bottle-packing machinery heretofore employed in the packaging industry have operated substantially in a successful manner, but have relied upon heavy and complex lever arrangements and have required manual participation at least in controlling part of the overall operation for completing the bottle transferring and packing thereof into appropriate cases or cartons, such as, for example, in positioning the case or carton below the packing mechanism and elevating the same into register with the mouth thereof for receiving the bottles or other containers forming the charge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved bottle-packing machine for automatically packing bottles in shipping cases.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bottle-packing machine for automatically advancing bottles from a supply line and dividing the same into successive charges of a predetermined number of rows of a given number of bottles in each and for transferring the successive charges into shipping cases.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for automatically packing bottles or other containers of similar configuration into shipping cases or cartons which is simple in construction and capable of operating at a high rate of speed and continuously over long periods of time without interruption of the line, or lines, of bottles or other containers fed thereto.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic packing machine for dividing a supply line of bottles or other containers into successive charges, feeding the shipping cases into proper position for receiving the charges, transferring the charges to the shipping cases and discharging the filled cases from the machine.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by a bottledrp-packing machine having an upper table top conveyor chain and an agitator mechanism for dividing the bottles thereon into several rows and thereby allowing the bottles to seek different lanes, from which the bottles slide onto a grid support bar. When each of the grid supporting bars are full, due to the back pressure of the bottles in the lane, trips at the end of each of the grid bars are activated for switching a pneumatic control valve for an air cylinder-operated transfer mechanism that shifts the bottles sideways and allows them to fall between the empty spaces in the grid. Operating simultaneously, an empty case is fed to the machine on a lower conveyor belt and is stopped beneath the grid by an air cylinder-- actuating switch which causes an elevator disposed below the empty case to be raised vertically upwards until the empty case thereon is fitted snugly under the grid bars. Upon shifting of the transfer mechanism, the bottles drop from the grid into the case, which is returned to the lower conveyor belt and carried away from the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Still other objects and many of the attendant features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a bottle-packing machine constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 together form a plan view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, respectively showing the agitator mechanism or oscillating plates adjacent the grid entrance and the grid-supporting bars thereof;

FIGS. 4 and 5 together form a side view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, respectively showing the areas of the agitator mechanism and the grid;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 taken from the right side or case discharge end;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the area of the machine at the rear edge of the plates disposed above the grid for separating the bottles into the several rows;

FIG. 8 is an end view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an end view from the discharge end of the machine of the case or carton elevator mechanism;

FIGS. 10 and 11 together form a sectional view of the machine taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 9, showing, in particular, the belt and driving motor therefor of the bottleconveying system and the air cylinder for operating the carton elevator;

FIG. 12 is another side view of the row-fon'ning plates and the bottle-supporting grid, showing the delivery chutes through which the bottles are dropped into the empty case disposed therebelow;

FIG. 13 is an end view from the discharge end of the machine of the same parts illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a pneumatic control circuit for the bottle-packing machine illustrated herein; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of an electrical control circuit for the bottle-packing machine of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the bottles 10 are carried upon a conveyor belt 11 in a single row between upright guide rails 12 to an oscillating mechanism 13, there to be kept from jamming together and to be rearranged between parallel plates 14 into four rows of bottles, eachhaving an equal number of bottles, and then to a charge-assembling device, or movable supporting grid, 16. The distance along the conveyor belt 11 between the-oscillating or dividing mechanism 13 and the charge-assembling apparatus 16 provides a storage area for the bottles 10 arranged in rows and ready to be delivered to the charge-assembling apparatus, so that a full charge will be available as often as the assembling mechanism is ready to receive a fresh charge. During such periods when the charge-assembling mechanism 16 is not ready to receive another charge, the belt 11 merely slides beneath the bottles 10 in this storage area.

Another conveyor belt 18 is disposed below the belt 11 for moving an open-topped, empty case or carton 19 to a position directly beneath the charge-assembling apparatus 16, from which it may be elevated in a manner to be hereinafter set forth for receiving the bottles 10 from the assembling apparatus 16 as often as a full complement or charge of bottles is received therein. The filled cases 19 are subsequently discharged from the machine on a roller conveying table 20 at the rear end thereof.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-6 for a more complete and detailed description of the bottle-packing machine of the present invention illustrated generally in FIG. 1, the upper conveyor chain or belt 11 is carried by a driving drum or sprocket 22 near the charge assembly 16 and two idler sprockets 23 and 24 disposed near the entrance of the machine, and slides freely on parallel disposed central and outer slides 25 under the upper part of the loop thereof. The sprocket 22 is keyed to a shaft 26 which is rotatably driven by an electric motor 27 through a belted connection to the drive shaft 28 thereof for operating the conveyor 11. Each of the shafts supporting the chain sprockets is appropriately journaled in the machine frame which comprises two side bars or beams 29 extending longitudinally substantially from one end of the machine to the other, being seeurably supported on four upright posts 30.

The bottles enter the machine at one end thereof and are carried forward by the belt or chain 11 between the guide rails 12 which are suspended above the conveying belt 11 from supports 32 disposed on the side bars 29 of the frame. As the bottles are carried forward, they are received within the oscillating mechanism 13 between two parallel oscillating plates 33 thereof supported substantially above and on either side of the belt 11 from a plurality of bar elements 34 depending from parallel support frames 35 which are reciprocably disposed in a limited path between another pair of upper frame side bars 29 secured to the upright posts 30. This reciprocable or oscillating motion is provided by an air cylinder 36, the movable piston rod 37 of which is secured at one end to one of the support frames 35, and serves to prevent any jamming up of the bottles as they leave the guides 12 while also causing the bottles to seek out different rows as they are moved to the rowaligning parallel plates 14. These parallel plates 14 are suspended from collars 38 which are disposed on a shaft 39 transversely positioned relative to the general direction of travel of the bottles 10 and secured to the side bars 29 of the frame. it is possible to vary the positioning of the collars 38 on the shaft 39 for altering the spacing between the parallel plates 14, if desired, to accommodate bottles of different sizes.

Upon leaving the terminal point of the plates 14, the bottles 10 arrive at the entrance to the charge-assembling mechanism 16. Beyond this point they pass between another series of parallel spaced guide plates or slides 41 of the charge-assem bling mechanism 16 which are rigidly secured by any suitable fastening means to elongate bar members 42, as illustrated in FIG. 13, for being suspended thereby from a pair of overhead transverse shafts 43 on collars 44 disposed thereon. The bar members 42 are secured to the collars 44 by welding or the like, and the collars 44 are movable on the shafts 43 for varying the spacing between the parallel guides 41 to accommodate different sizes of bottles 10.

A pair of parallel shafts 45 secured at the ends thereof to the side frame bars 29 support a baseplate 46 above the parallel guides 41 and the shafts 43, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 13, and an air cylinder 47 is attached thereon. The movable piston rod 48 of an air cylinder 47 is secured at one end to a plate member 49, which is slidably disposed axially along the supporting shafts 45, and from which depend shaft-supporting elements 50 to which one end of the shafts 43 are secured. Similar elements 50' are attached to a plate 49 at the other end of the shafts 45, which is also slidable thereon, for supporting the other ends of the shafts 43. Thus, a charge-shifting mechanism is provided which, upon actuation of the air cylinder 47, causes the guides 41 to be shifted sideways for moving the rows of bottles 10 therein laterally for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. Referring to FIG. 3 in particular, there is shown an actuating pin 52 secured to the plate 49 and aligned with an actuating lever 53 of a limiting switch 54 which is secured to the frame of the machine for causing the switch to be actuated whenever the charge-shifting mechanism is operated, and which thus forms part of the control mechanism of the machine, also to be hereinafter set forth.

Disposed below the charge-assembling and shifting mechanism 16 is the supporting grid device 17, which is most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, for supporting the bottles 10 between the guides 41 while they are being assembled into a complete charge and for providing passageways of chutes for the bottles to be delivered through during transfer into an empty case or carton 19. The device is supported on a plurality of horizontally disposed bar members 56 secured along the sides of the substantially rectangular-shaped grid thereof, the ends of which are suitably attached to the frame side bars 29. Partitioning plates 57 are vertically disposed in parallel fashion in planes which are parallel to planes containing the guides 41 and are supported on the bar members 56. The upper longitudinal edges of the partitioning plates 57 form rails upon which the bottles 10 in the charge-assembling and shifting mechanism 16 are normally supported.

The elongated spaces between the respective bottle-supporting rails 57 and bounded by end supporting bars 56 are subdivided into small squares approximately the size of the individual bottles 10 by centralizing guiding plates 59 which form the bottle-directing chutes and each of which has flexible bottle-directing and positioning fingers 60 depending therefrom for shifting the bottles dropped therein toward the centers of the chutes as they descend therethrough towards an empty case 19 positioned therebelow. Elongated, angled plates 62 are hingedly connected at 63 to the sides of the grid device 17 and are counterweighted at the upper edges thereof by weights 64 for normally urging the bottom edge of each such plate 62 inward of the peripheral chutes on the grid device. ln this manner, a case 19 may be readily raised from below to encompass the depending fingers 60 of the chutes of the grid 17, being received over the angled plates 62, and upon filling thereof with a charge of bottles 10, which urge the bottom edges of the plates 62 against the inner sidewalls of the case 19, will descend under the weight of the bottles to be transported away from the machine.

Referring now to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the lower conveyor belt 18 for moving the empty cases 19 into the machine is driven about a plurality of spaced idler rollers 66 supported on shafts 67 journaled in the frame by a driving roller 68. The driving roller 68 is disposed on a shaft 69 also having thereon a sprocket 70 which is belted or chained by 71 to a sprocket 72 on the output shaft 73 of an electric motor 74.

An elevating mechanism comprising a pair of shelves 76 disposed on opposite sides of the belt 18just below the level of the caseconveying belt is positioned beneath the grid device 17 whereby upon elevation thereof the shelves 76 contact the bottom of the empty case along the longitudinally disposed outside edges thereof for raising the case 19 vertically upwards as hereinabove described for placing it over the lower face of the grid device 17. The shelves 76 are secured to upright supports 77 which are provided at their lower edges with spaced bars 78 between which there are received roller members or bearings 79. The bearings 79 are pivotally secured at one end of lever arms 80, the other ends thereof being attached to a sleeve member 81 rotatably disposed on a transverse shaft 82 connected to side frame members of the machine. Secured to the sleeve 81 is a collar 83 having an arm 84 thereon which supports at the other end a rotatable sleeve 85 to which is connected the end of a piston rod 86 of an air cylinder device 87. Thus, upon actuation of the air cylinder 87, the piston rod 86 is extended to rotate arm 84 and arms 80 about the shaft 82 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 11, for moving the supports 77 upward and thereby elevating the case-supporting shelves 76.

When the supports 77 are moved vertically in this manner, arms 89 and 89' secured thereto at 90, 90' and having camming surfaces 91, 91 on the upper ends thereof are moved therewith in the same direction. Sensing rollers 92, 92 are resiliently biased against the surfaces 91, 91' for actuating switches 94 and 93 respectively, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, being operative respectively in the bottle-shifting mechanism and case stop mechanism control circuits.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown at the rear or case discharge end of the assembly 16 a mechanism designed to detect the presence of a full complement of bottles in each of the rows defined by the parallel guides 41 for operating another switch 95 in the control circuit of the bottle-shifting mechanism 16. A rod 96 for each grid partition 57 is supported in the grid mechanism 17 and extends into each bottle row of the charge-assembling mechanism along a cutout portion 97 at the bottom rear comer of each guide member 41. The rod 96 is longitudinally movable in the grid mechanism and is biased by a spring 98 in the direction of the bottles being received into the assembly mechanism. Accordingly, whenever a row has received its full complement of bottles 10, the bottles therebehind press against the row of bottles so as to cause the rod 96 to be moved axially to the rear of the grid mechanism 17 against the force of the spring 98. Displacement of the bottles 10 from the charge-assembling 16 is prevented by a transverse bar 99 secured through the guides 41 in slots 100 in the rear edges thereof.

Disposed thereon substantially intermediate the length of each rod 96 is a collar member 101 which normally supports a transverse rod 102 secured to a pivotal arm member 103 on the side of the grid mechanism. The arm 103 is pivoted at 104 where it is secured to another arm 105 pivoted therewith for engaging and actuating a biased sensing roller 106 of the switch 95. Thus, as each row of bottles is filled, the respective rod 96 is forced rearwardly by the pressing bottles, until such time as all the rods 96 have been so moved back that none of the collars 101 supports the rod 102, whereby the rod 102 and the arm 103 to which it is secured move downwardly against the rod 96. This pivotal movement of arm 103 and 105, which moves therewith, allows the roller 106 to come out of the switch 95 for actuating the switch. Upon the subsequent shifting of the charge'assembling mechanism 16, a curved arm 107 attached to the side guide 41 thereof engages the bottom of the arm 103 and, riding therebeneath raises the arm 103 and the rod 102 secured thereto for permitting the rods 96 to be returned to the normal bottle-engaging positions by the springs 98, where also the rod 102 rests upon the collars 101 of the rods 96.

FIGS. 14 and 15, considered together show a general schematic picture of a method for controlling the operation of the bottle-packing machine described herein, providing both electrical and pneumatic power circuits. Thus, in FIG. 14, a source of air under pressure is provided to a four-station conduit manifold 110 having a common exhaust manifold 111 for operating the various air cylinders of the present invention.

The piston in the air cylinder 36 of the oscillating mechanism 13 is continuously and automatically reciprocated by a four-way double time delay, double pilot-operated, detented air valve 112 for oscillating the bottles 10 at the entrance to the aligning plates 14.

In the first station of the manifold 110, a solenoid valve 113 controls the admission and exhaust of air pressure to the air cylinder 47 of the charge-shifting mechanism 16, for shifting the charge of bottles off the supporting grids 41 and for returning the plate or head 49 of the mechanism 16 for receiving another charge of bottles. As the charge of bottles in the shifting mechanism 16 is completed, limit switch 95 is closed through the full-charge sensing mechanism. In the meantime, a case has moved onto the elevator to transfer limit switch 108 and energize the up solenoid of valve 114 through contacts CR2-l of relay CR2 and contacts CR3-1 of relay CR3 as seen in FIG. to cause the elevator to move the case thereon up to bottle receiving position by air cylinder 87. As the elevator reaches the upper end of its stroke, limit switch 93 is transferred to energize the shift solenoid of valve 113 and shift the charge of bottles. As soon as the bottles are shifted from supporting grids 57, they drop into the case on the elevator 76.

As the shifting mechanism 16 reaches its shifted position, limit valve 54 as seen in FIG. 15 is transferred to deenergize the up solenoid and energize the down solenoid of valve 114 through contacts CR2-2 and CR2-l of relay CR2 and contacts CR3-1 of relay CR3. This causes the elevator 76 to descend with the charged case thereon. As the elevator reaches its down position, limit switch 94 is closed to energize the return solenoid of valve 113 through returned limit switch 93 and contacts CR2-3 of relay CR2 and to energize the open solenoid of valve 121. This causes the shifting mechanism 16 to be returned and the stop 119 which holds the case in place on elevator 76 to be retracted through its air cylinder 116 mounted on the elevator as seen in FIGS. 9 and 15. This allows the conveyor belt 18 to move the charged case from the machine and the shifting mechanism 16 to be recharged with bottles.

As soon as the charged case has cleared limit switch 126 as seen in FIGS. 11 and 15, it closes to energize solenoid A of valve since a new case held by stop 128 through its associated air cylinder 123 as seen in FIGS. 10 and 14 has already transferred limit switch 127. This causes stop 128 to be retracted and stop 129 seen in FIGS. 10 and 14 to be extended through its air cylinder 124. Therefore, the first new case will be free to be moved onto elevator 76 by belt 18 while the second new case will be retained by stop 129.

When the charged case clears limit switch 108, it is returned to energize the close solenoid of valve 121 through contacts CR-3 of relay CR3 and contacts CR24 of relay CR2 to extend stop 119. Thus the first new case will be stopped on elevator 76. As soon as the new case has cleared limit switch 127, solenoid B of valve 125 will be energized to extend stop 128 and retract stop 129 to allow the second new case to proceed to stop 128. The operation is then repeated.

Relay CR1 controlled by limit switches 130 in series as seen in FIGS. 1, 3, and 15 serves to detect when a bottle has fallen on belts 11. If a bottle does fall one of the switches 130 will be open to prevent energization of relay CR1 to cause light Ll to illuminate through contacts CR11 and prevent the shifting mechanisms 16 from shifting through contacts CR1-1 and prevent the shifting mechanisms 16 from shifting through contacts CR1-3.

It is to be understood that modifications, substitutions, and equivalents may be made in the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the inventive concept.

What is claimed is:

1. An article-packaging machine comprising; means for advancing articles in a single line in an upright position along a predetermined path; means for oscillating the articles transversely of said path, comprising a pair of parallel plates connected together as a unitary structure and so positioned that the advancing articles pass between them; a plurality of fixed parallel guide members located along said path beyond said oscillating means and providing a plurality of channels for separating said articles into parallel groups as they continue to advance and are moved by said oscillating means; means for receiving said articles as they advance through said channels and assembling them in groups having the same number of articles comprising; grid means for engaging the bottoms of said articles, means for supporting a case beneath said grid means and means for shifting the articles laterally to cause them to drop through the grid means between the normally article bottom engaging portions thereof and into said case therebeneath; said machine further including a device to operate the article-shifting means when a full complement of articles is present in each channel, said device including an element in each channel adapted to be engaged and longitudinally shifted by an article when the channel in which said element is located has received its full complement of articles, said elements extending parallel to each other and each of them being provided with a collar, said collars being in transverse alignment; and a transverse member which is normally supported by each of said collars but which is allowed to drop when all the collars are shifted by the filling of the channels with articles, said transverse member being arranged when it drops to effect energization of said article shifting means.

2. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the means for supporting a case beneath said grid means comprises a conveyor for moving cases along a path passing beneath said grid means,

means for positively arresting the movement of a case directly beneath said grid means, means to elevate each case to receive a group of articles and thereafter to lower it to its original position. and means responsive to such lowering for removing said stop and allowing the filled case to be removed by said conveyor.

3. A machine as in claim 1, further including a pair of elongated plates hingedly connected at the sides of the grid means and extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to engage the outer articles of a group as they drop through the grid means, said plates being counterweight to urge them into engagement with such articles.

4. A machine as in claim 2 wherein the means for elevating the cases comprises a pair of shelves disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor and normally positioned at a lower level than the conveyor, and means for raising said shelves simultaneously to engage a case on the conveyor and elevate it thereabove.

5. A machine as in claim 2 further including a stop for arresting a case on the conveyorjust before it reaches the elevating means, and means for withdrawing said stop and allowing the case to proceed to the elevating means upon removal of a filled case from such means. 

1. An article-packaging machine comprising; means for advancing articles in a single line in an upright position along a predetermined path; means for oscillating the articles transversely of said path, comprising a pair of parallel plates connected together as a unitary structure and so positioned that the advancing articles pass between them; a plurality of fixed parallel guide members located along said path beyond said oscillating means and providing a plurality of channels for separating said articles into parallel groups as they continue to advance and are moved by said oscillating means; means for receiving said articles as they advance through said channels and assembling them in groups having the same number of articles comprising; grid means for engaging the bottoms of said articles, means for supporting a case beneath said grid means and means for shifting the articles laterally to cause them to drop through the grid means between the normally article bottom engaging portions thereof and into said case therebeneath; said machine further including a device to operate the article-shifting means when a full complement of articles is present in each channel, said device including an element in each channel adapted to be engaged and longitudinally shifted by an article when the channel in which said element is located has received its full complement of articles, said elements extending parallel to each other and each of them being provided with a collar, said collars being in transverse alignment; and a transverse member which is normally supported by each of said collars but which is allowed to drop when all the collars are shifted by the filling of the channels with articles, said transverse member being arranged when it drops to effect energization of said article shifting means.
 2. A machine as in claim 1 wherein the means for supporting a case beneath said grid means comprises a conveyor for moving cases along a path passing beneath said grid means, means for positively arresting the movement of a case directly beneath said grid means, means to elevate each case to receive a group of articles and thereafter to lower it to its original position, and means responsive to such lowering for removing said stop and allowing the filled case to be removed by said conveyor.
 3. A machine as in claim 1, further including a pair of elongated plates hingedly connected at the sides of the grid means and extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to engage the outer articles of a group as they drop through the grid means, said plates being counterweight to urge them into engagement with such articles.
 4. A machine as in claim 2 wherein the means for elevating the cases comprises a pair of shelves disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor and normally positioned at a lower level than the conveyor, and means for raising said shelves simultaneously to engage a case on the conveyor and elevate it thereabove.
 5. A machine as in claim 2 further including a stop for arresting a case on the conveyor just before it reaches the elevating means, and means for withdrawing said stop and allowing the case to proceed to the elevating means upon removal of a filled case from such means. 